Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/736/15357
From The Socialist newspaper, 3 October 2012
Partial victory for international students at London Metropolitan
Claire Laker-Mansfield, Socialist Students national organiser
A court ruling has granted a partial reprieve to over 2,000 international students at London Met who had been threatened with deportation.
This followed the UK Border Agency's (UKBA) earlier decision to revoke the university's licence to teach those from outside the EU.
The 22 September ruling allows London Met to seek a judicial review. The result is that international students will be able to remain for one year or until the end of their courses if they are due to finish before the end of the summer.
Socialist Students welcomes this decision, which represents a partial victory for the excellent campaign waged by London Met's staff and students to stop deportations and reverse the UKBA's license revocation.
But this is not the end of the road. The court's decision leaves open the possibility of deportations taking place in one year's time and gives no guarantees that London Met will be able to recruit international students for next September.
Huge campaign needed
The need for a strong campaign, fighting for full restoration of the licence, is still needed. Both international and home students currently arriving for freshers week need to be ready to build a huge campaign to defend London Met and the right for all to study.
In addition, the campaign must take up the threat of a huge programme of cuts and privatisation being made by the university. We must not allow vital support services to be handed over to the profiteers.
The demonstration held on Friday 29 September, attended by over 60 people, showed real potential to build the fightback and gather new momentum in the autumn term.
In many ways the government is attempting to use London Met as a test case for some of their most destructive policies in higher education.
This is made possible by a university management who is willing to carry out the Con-Dems' every whim.
For this reason the struggle to defend London Met is central to the battle to defend higher education against the government's general assault.
The campaign should be a national priority for the National Union of Students. This fight isn't over.
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In The Socialist 3 October 2012:
Education news & analysis
Tory education policy: 'This is just about making cuts isn't it?'
Building the fightback in the universities
Suspended student union president continues fight for reinstatement
NUT activists prepare for action
Barnfield College, Luton: Kick private profit out of education
Partial victory for international students at London Metropolitan
No to slave labour in universities
International socialist news and analysis
Europe: Class struggle returns with a bang
South Africa: Solidarity with miners
Algerian war of independence 1954-1962
Socialist Party NHS campaigning
Action against Profit From Illness!
South West NHS workers want action against 'pay cartel'
Save Greater Manchester mental healthcare
Cut the Con-Dems - not our NHS!
Socialist Party workplace news
Bin workers calling indefinite strike brought results
Day of Action to save HMRC nurseries
Crossrail flashmob blocks London's Oxford Street
Arts and culture workers need to fight back
Socialist Party reports and campaigns
The fight of all our lives - For a 24-hour general strike
Councillors must resist all Tory cuts
Thousands march for an independent Scotland
Rape is No Joke campaign discussed
Socialist Party news and analysis
Scotland: Lamont throws Labour Party into crisis
Sickened by Labour conference? Build the anti-cuts alternative!
Council tax benefit - new and not improved
Squatting conviction paves way for rise in homelessness
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